One of the distinguishing features of Russian classical literature is the depth of its ideological content. There is a relentless desire to resolve the issue of the meaning of life, a humane attitude to people, the veracity of the image.
And also Russian writers in their works sought to find the image of an ideal Russian woman. They revealed its best features that are inherent in our people. Few in what world literature can one find such beautiful and pure representatives of the weaker sex. They are distinguished by a loving and faithful heart and unique spiritual beauty.
Only in Russian literature is so much attention paid to the description of the inner world and the most complex experiences of the female soul. Through all the works, one can see the image of a Russian woman who is a heroine, who has a big heart and a fiery soul, who is ready for feats.
Russian soul Tatyana
One of the central images of a woman in Russian poetry is the unforgettable image of Tatyana Larina, created by A.S. Pushkin. Throughout the novel "Eugene Onegin," the author emphasizes the fact that she is a "Russian soul." It is shown how she loves the Russian people, Russian nature, patriarchal antiquity, her customs, traditions.
Tatyana appears before the reader as a person who is characterized by the depth of nature and passion of feelings. It is distinguished by such qualities as integrity, sincerity, simplicity. The poet writes that Tatyana loves “without art”, she succumbs to the attraction of feelings.
In the secret of her love for Eugene, she does not dedicate anyone but a nanny. But the depth of a love feeling cannot outweigh the feelings of respect and duty towards her husband. She does not want to dissemble and tells Eugene that she loves him, but all her life she will be faithful to her rightful spouse.
In this novel, A.S. Pushkin gave the image of a Russian woman who takes life very seriously, love and duty. It is distinguished by the depth of emotions, the complexity of the spiritual world. The author makes it clear that these features are directly related to Russian nature, the Russian people, under the influence of which a truly Russian woman was formed, a man with a big and beautiful soul.
Modest Masha Mironova
In “The Captain's Daughter” A.S. Pushkin deduced the image of a Russian modest girl - Masha Mironova. It would seem that he is not at all outstanding. But if you consider it more carefully, you can see the depth of her feelings, and a serious attitude to love. She cannot express them verbally, but all her life keeps them faithful. Masha is ready to do anything to save her beloved, to sacrifice herself for the sake of her parents.
Peasant women and Decembrists
The images of Russian women Nekrasov stand out in domestic poetic works. This wonderful poet is called their singer. Before and after this, none of the poets paid them so much attention.
With genuine pain, Nikolai Alekseevich spoke about the difficult fate of the Russian peasant women. He wrote that the keys to their female happiness are long lost. But, despite this, the slavish humbled life did not break their inherent feelings of pride, their own dignity. Such is Daria, familiar to us from the poem "Red Nose Frost". The image of this Russian peasant woman is the image of a bright man, pure in heart and soul.
Great love and warmth is felt in the portrayal of Nekrasov by women of the Decembrists, who, without any doubt, followed their husbands to Siberia. Princesses Volkonskaya and Trubetskaya are ready to fully share with them all the hardships, calamities and hardships, prison and hard labor.
Light Ray - Katerina
It is impossible not to note this image of a Russian woman, who is full of beauty and tragedy at the same time. This is Katerina from The Storm by N. A. Ostrovsky. According to N. A. Dobrolyubov, it reflected a number of the best features characteristic of the Russian people. We are talking about spiritual nobility, the desire for freedom and truth, readiness for protest and struggle.
Everyone remembers that the critic called Katerina a ray of light that pierced through the dark kingdom of the suffocating patriarchal merchant world of Kabanikh and the Wild. This woman is characterized as exceptional, possessing a poetic, dreamy nature. Finding herself in an atmosphere of hypocrisy, hypocrisy, being married to the unloved, she experiences genuine deep suffering.
But when she in the "dark kingdom" meets a person close to her in her moods, a romantic feeling flashes brightly in her. Love becomes the main and only meaning of her life for the heroine. However, a sense of duty in her wins, and she repents to her husband. And although in the finale Katerina dies, having thrown herself into the Volga, thereby she defies “a challenge to self-righteous force”.
Connoisseur of the female soul I. S. Turgenev
Another great master in creating images of Russian women is I. S. Turgenev. He was a subtle connoisseur of the female soul and heart and brought out an amazing gallery of images. In the “Noble Nest” a clear, bright and strict Lisa Kalitina appears before the reader. With the women of Ancient Russia it is brought together by such features as a deep religious feeling, a sense of duty and responsibility for their actions.
However, the writer also depicts women of a new type. These are Elena Stakhova from the novel “The Eve” and Marianne from “Novi”. So, Elena is trying to break out of the narrow family framework, to plunge into the rapid flow of social activity. However, the living conditions that existed at that time did not give women such an opportunity. After the death of his beloved, Stakhov devotes his life to the holy cause. She is involved in the liberation of the people of Bulgaria from the Turks.
Woman for family
One of the most beloved and most developed images of women in Russian literature is the image of Natasha Rostova in “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy. The great writer contrasts it with the image of Vera Pavlovna at Chernyshevsky in the novel What to Do? Disagreeing with the ideology of democrats-raznochintsy, Tolstoy paints the image of a woman created not for social activities, but for the family.
Natasha is a determined and cheerful girl, close to the people. It has a thrift and practicality. When Napoleon entered Moscow, she, like many representatives of the most diverse layers of Russian society, experienced a genuine patriotic upsurge.
But the heroine’s life ideals are not complex, they are in the area of the family sphere and clearly appear at the end of the novel when the reader sees Natasha surrounded by a happy family.
Thus, the largest of Russian poets and writers managed to bring out a galaxy of beautiful images of Russian women, revealing in all their wealth all their qualities, which include intelligence, purity, the desire for happiness, struggle, freedom.